Suspension device for mail-chute panels



Nov. '26, 1929.

H. M. KENNEDY- SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR MAIL CHUTE PANELS Filed July 5, 1927 Ira ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 192.9.- KENNEDY 1,736,918

I SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR MAIL CHUTE PANELS Filed July 5. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 6 HUGH.M.KENNEDY e? [re 'ATIORNE s UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUGH M. KENNEDY, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR MAIL-CHUTE PANELS Application filed July 5,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail chutes for conveying mail from the upper floors of a building to a mail receptacle below. I

The object of the invention is to provide a mail chute, the parts of which may be easily made and assembled and in which easily manipulated means are provided to allow access to the interior of the chute for cleaning, or clearing the same of any mailing matter which should become lodged in any part of the chute other than the receptacle.

According to m invention I provide a chute of channel-shaped cross section which set into the wall of a building. The chute has inwardly projecting guides formed integral therewith and adapted to position removable panels which form the front of the chute. The panels are pivotally suspended 29 from their upper ends and rest on cross or spacer bars formed integral with or made separate from the chute. To hold the lower edges of the panels in place, locking bars are provided and said locking bars are so secured to cross bars that they may be moved in a horizontal direction towards, or away from, the chute or in a vertical direction longitudinally of the chute, so that said looking bars may be quickly and easily removed to allow easy access to the panels for reimproved chutewith the distance between the panels shortened by showing same with broken lines.

Figure 2 is a part sectional side elevation taken on the line 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the chute taken on the line 33 Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a part front sectional elevation of the locking bar showing the pins for attaching it to the cross bars.

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 55 Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 6-6 Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation show- 1927. Serial No. 203,502.

ing the manner of suspending the panels from the top ofthe chute.

Figure 8 is a sectional side elevation showing the connections to the mail box. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates the chute which is of chan- I nel-shaped cross section provided with inwardly projecting guides 12, which may be formed integral with the chute and near the front thereof. The chutes fit into a recess 13 formed in the wall 14. The chute is preferably made in sections and joining each section are the intermediate spacer or cross bars 1 1, which encircle the chute and form a means for attaching the chute to the wall, by placing screws or similar fastening means through the countersunk holes provided in the bar as shown to advantage in Figure 3. The spacer bars 14 extend across the front of the chute at spaced intervals in the longitudinal or vertical direction of the chute and. are provided with downwardly and inwardly projecting guards 15 to prevent the mail from contacting with the upper ends of the panels hereinafter described. The panels are each made of a frame 16 having a central portion 17 of glass or other transparent material. The upper portions 18 of the frames 16 are provided with headings 19 adapted to rest on downwardly projecting supporting members 20 secured to the spacer or cross bars. The members 20 have each an inwardly projecting portion 21 or ridge,

which engages with the underside of the beading 19 in such a manner that the panel may be swung outwardly. The beading extends partially across the face of each panel and rests on the ridge which also extends partially across the panel, and the beading and ridge co-operate to hold the spacer bar in suspension and in such a manner that it may be easily removed from the face of the chute. The lower part 22 of the panel is recessed to allow the fingers of the operator to obtain a fairly good grip of the panels. Centrally of the spacer bars are the lock receiving menihere 23 which may be formed integral with the bars or mounted thereon. Ornamental copings 24 and 25 are used for covering the upper and lower portions of the panels and,

also, the upper spacer bar and the lower spacer bar 26. Extending outwardly from each side of the chute are the lugs 27 which are slotted to receive pins 28 secured to the locking straps 29. The slots 30 extend vertically of the chutes, so that the locking straps 29 may be moved vertically to clear the edges of the panels in proximity thereto. The centres of the slots have inwardly projecting recesses 33 to allow the straps to be pushed inwardly to engage with the ends of the panels, and locks 31 are secured to the locking straps to engage with the lock receiving members mounted on the spacer bars. Recesses 32 are also provided at the top of the slots so that the pins 28 may rest therein to position the locking bar so that it will hold the upper panels in place while the lower panels are being examined r put in place. It will be seen that the locking straps are mounted in the lugs so that they may be moved towards or away from the chute in a horizontal direction, and they can also be moved vertically in the slot to clear the edges of the panels. The lugs may be formed integral with the cross bars, or they may be secured to the side of the chute in any suitable manner. r

In operation it will be seen that by unlocking the locking straps, they may be drawn outwardly away from the base of the panel and allowed to drop vertically on to the bottom 34 of the slots leaving the lower parts of the panels clear as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, so that the operator may insert his fingers in the receses on the lower parts of the panels and swing them outwardly about their pivots, so that easy access to the chute may be readily obtained for clearing away any obstructing mail or for cleaning purposes. The device is very simple in operation and provides an eflicient means which allows the panel frames to be made similar in construction and size, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture of such frames to a minimum, as well as providing a means which allows quick access to the chute and easy assembly of same.

The panels being suspended on rounded projections on the tops of the panels, allows same to be easily swung outwardly from the chute to a predetermined limiting angle without becoming disengaged. After the panel has been swung past the limiting angles, the heading and the projecting ridge become disengaged, so that the panels may be easily removed. To facilitate the removal of the panel without the necessity of swinging the panels to too great an angle, recesses 35 may be formed in the cross bar and the panels may be raised into the recesses to release same and allow them to be pulled clear of the chute. The recesses also allow easy assembly of the panels. The suspending ridge may be integralwith or attached to the cross bar by any suitable means without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a mail chute of channel form, cross members spaced from one another and extending across the face of the chute, removable panels closing the chute, said panels having a frame with a heading projectin outwardly from the top portion thereof, and a ridged member extending across the chute and coacting with the heading to pivotally suspend the panels in the chute.

2. In a mail chute of channel form, cross members spaced from one another and secured to the chute and extending across the open portion thereof, closing panels engaging with inwardly projecting guides formed in the chutes, said panels having a heading formed in the top thereof, members secured to the cross bars and extending across the face of the chute, said members having ridges formed thereon to co-act with the panel heading to hingedly suspend the panels.

3. In a mail chute of channel form and having inwardly projecting guides formed integral therewith, cross bars spaced from one another and extending across the face of the chute, panels fitting into the chute against the guides, said panels having headings formed in their upper edges, members secured to and depending from the cross bars, said members having ridges adapted to co-act with the headings to hingedly suspend the panels, and means formed in the cross bars to allow for easy removal of the panels.

In witness wherof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HUGH M. KENNEDY. 

